CRICKET N.Z. TEAM CHOSEN TO PLAY ENGLAND

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28822, 17 February 1959, Page 14

CRICKET N.Z. TEAM CHOSEN TO PLAY ENGLAND

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, February 16. Three players new to international cricket have been included in the New Zealand team which will meet England at Christchurch on February 27. They are B. A. Bolton, of Canterbury, R. M. Harris, of Auckland, and K. W. Hough, also of Auckland.

The team is:— z R. W. Blair (Wellington), B. A. Bolton (Canterbury), I. W. Guy (Canterbury), B. M. Hani* (Auckland), K. W. Bough (Auckland), L B. Leggat (Central Districts), 8. N. McGregor (Otago), A. M. Moir (Otago), E. C. Petrie (Northern Districts), J. K. Reid (Wellington), captain, J. T. Sparling (Auckland), B. Sutcliffe (Otego). The twelfth man will be announced on the morning of the match. There are some distinct surprises in the selection. Chief among them is the omission of J. W. D’Arcy, the Canterbury opening batsman, who appeared in all five tests against England last year. It seems that the selectors (Messrs H. G. Vivian, of Auckland, J. R. Reid, of Wellington, and J. Newman, of Central Districts) have determined to put into the field as aggressive a team as possible. D’Arcy has done well this season, but not outstandingly well, yet he must be regarded as unfortunate. Bolton clearly will not be one of those omitted, for he and Harris are the only opening batsmen included. Tn the match which ended at the Basin Reserve today.

both Harris and Bolton made mistakes, but they are well equipped with strokes, and it may be that D’Arcy’s cramped-looking batting and inability to make forcing shots cost him his place. Guy earned selection, although he was far happier against the spin bowling than the pace. However, he played well in the interisland match, and should be in the frame of mind to make runs at Christchurch. McGregor, a New Zealand representative on the tour of India and Pakistan, won his place because of the manner in which he played the faster bowlers in the inter-island game. He has often been guilty of careless strokes, but in this match he knuckled down well to his task and looked very good indeed, for there are few better stroke makers in the country. Leggat must be one of those who is a candidate for the position of twelfth man. His steady

bowling, with his ability to move the ball a little, but late, his excellent slip catching, and his potential as a batsman have put him into the side. Leggat failed twice with the bat in the inter-island match, but he has played some really good innings in Plunket Shield cricket

tins season, and his inclusion in the final eleven will be certain if Reid is not fit to bowL But if Reid is able to help with some of his faster overs, Leggat will probably be left out. If Leggat plays, the most likely choice as twelfth man will be McGregor. New Zealand will be well served with Petrie as wicketkeeper, but the bowling does not look strong. Had they been fit, either J. A. Hayes, of Auckland, or G. Bartlett, the Marlborough colt, would have been a better choice than Blair, who was singularly unimpressive at Wellington. Moir, Sparling, and Hough were all certain selections before the inter-island game began. The omission of D. L. Donald

(Northern Districts) will cause some comment, because on figures he has done extremely well. Donald, however, has been a rather lucky batsman, he is not a good judge of a run, and he fields indifferently. Improvement in these respects would certainly win him a place. A. H. Preston (Wellington) is also a little unlucky, for he is a plucky batsman and a magnificent field.